Walt Whitman letter to Louisa Whitman, 26 May 1863

Washington Tuesday forenoon May 26, 1863.

DEAREST MOTHER I got a long letter from George, dated near Lancaster, Kentucky, May 15th ; he seems to be well and in good spirits says he gets some letters from me and papers too. At the time he wrote the fist was doing provost duty at Lancaster, but would not probably remain so very long seem to be moving towards southeast Kentucky had a good camp, and good times generally. Le Gendre is colonel

Gen. Ferrero has left the service Col. Potter (now brig.-gen.) is in Cincinnati Capt. Sims, etc., are all well. George describes Kentucky as a very fine country says the people are about half and half, Secesh and Union. This is the longest letter I have yet received from George. Did he write you one about the same time ? Mother, I have not rec'd any word from home in over a week the last letter I had from Mr. Lane was about twelve days ago, sending me $10 for the soldiers (five from Mr. Kirkwood and five from Mr. Conklin Brush). Mother dear, I should like to hear from Martha ; I wish Jeff would write me about it. Has Andrew gone ? and how is your wrist and arm, mother ? We had some very hot weather here I don't know what I should have done without the thin grey coat you sent you don't know how good it does, and looks too ; I wore it three days, and carried a fan and an umbrella (quite a Japanee) most everybody here carries an umbrella, on account of the sun. Yesterday and to-day however have been quite cool, east wind. Mother, the shirts were a real godsend, they do first rate ; I like the fancy marseilles collar and wristbands. Mother, how are you getting along I suppose just the same as ever. I suppose Jess and Ed are just the same as ever. When you write, you tell me all about everything, and the Browns, and the neighborhood generally. Mother, is George's trunk home and of no use there ? I wish I had it here, as I must have a trunk but do not wish you to send until I send you word. I suppose my letter never appeared in the Eagle ; well, I shall send them no more, as I think likely they hate to put in anything which may celebrate me a little, even though it is just the thing they want for their paper and readers. They altered the other letter on that account, very meanly. I shall probably have letters in the N. Y. Times and perhaps other papers in about a week. Mother, I have been pretty active in hospitals for the past two weeks, somewhere every day or night. I have written you so much about cases, etc., I will not write you any more on that subject this time. O the sad, sad things I see the noble young men with legs and arms taken off the deaths the sick weakness, sicker than death, that some endure, after amputations (there is a great difference, some make little of it, others lie after it for days, just flickering alive, and O so deathly weak and sick). I go this afternoon to Campbell hospital, out a couple of miles.

Mother, I should like to have Jeff send me 20 of the large-sized portraits and as many of the standing figure ; do them up flat. I think every day about Martha. Mother, have you heard any further about Han ? Good-bye for the present, dearest mother. WALT.